The present invention relates to an optical disk device and more particularly, to a method of managing the use statuses of individual optical disk devices to select an optical disk device to be used in an optical disk library device using the plurality of optical disk devices.
JP-A-10-162402 gives a description “When an interface conversion device operates to count frequencies of issuances of load commands delivered out of an upper device and to eject or receive a read/write system command, a means is provided for picking and storing operation frequencies and write/block numbers. The individual frequencies and numbers have their threshold values which are compared with stored pieces of statistical information. If the statistical information is exceeded, driving is placed in life span mode arrival condition. A means is provided for limiting the command process received from the upper device when the life span mode arrival condition is reached, thus enabling arrival at a life span area to be detected.”
JP-A-2007-164912 gives a description “A use history of hard disk devices is managed and a determined number of hard disk devices to be used are selected on the basis of the use history. For the use history, management information the hard disk device manages internally (for example, SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) may be utilized or the information processing device may manage by itself the use frequency and use time of each of the hard disk devices. For example, by preferentially selecting a hard disk device subject to less use frequency and less use time, the use frequencies of the individual hard disk devices can be equalized.”
Further, JP-A-2006-18955 gives a description “Referring to FIG. 5, a life span mode arrival setting process in an optical disk device 204 will be explained. The present process makes a decision as to whether a drive 210 arriving at the life span is permitted to be used or not. Firstly, after a life managing process (corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4) is carried out in step 500, comparison with a preset threshold value is executed and when an excess of threshold is determined, the drive 210 is set to life span mode arrival in step 502. In this manner, driving in excess of the life span threshold is automatically set to a life span arrival mode but, alternatively, a means for causing the upper device to execute suppression of life span via a SCSI may be provided.”